Bader’s First Heavyweight Title Defense Announced

Nine months after defeating Fedor in the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix, Bellator Heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader will return to the Bellator cage at Bellator 226.

Bader will face off against Cheick Kongo for the first defense of his heavyweight title on September 7th from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, headlining a show that features the opening fights of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix.

Riding a seven fight winning streak that includes his Bellator heavyweight grand prix wins over Fedor, Matt Mitrione, and King Mo Lawal, Bader has been a dominant force since joining Bellator in 2017, holding their light heavyweight title since his debut at Bellator NYC.

Kongo has won 12 of his 14 appearances inside the Bellator cage, last seen defeating Vitaly Minakov, who defeated Kongo for the then vacant heavyweight title in 2013, making him the number one contender.